The hottest E-commerce Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The collapse of Alibaba’s New Retail? - Part 1: Shopping Malls & Home Furnishing

Tech Buzz China Insider • 79 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Alibaba's New Retail initiatives, including offline investments, are facing challenges and potential failures.
  2. The focus on consumption upgrade led Alibaba to miss the shifting consumer trends towards practical and inexpensive purchases, affecting their strategies.
  3. There is a shift within Alibaba towards returning to prioritizing online business, user experience, and supporting small and medium businesses once again.

All content should flow toward newsletter signups

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 349 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Good content should always encourage people to sign up for newsletters. This helps creators grow their audience and make money.
  2. You can succeed on platforms like Substack even if you start with no followers. Many people have built their subscriber base from scratch.
  3. Partnerships can help you grow faster. Teaming up with established brands can lead to more visibility and subscribers.

This Week in Marketing: Ads in ChatGPT, YouTube Algorithm, AI Music, U.S. Senators, and Nvidia vs. Google

The Social Juice • 26 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. OpenAI is planning to introduce advertisements in ChatGPT, which could change the user experience soon.
  2. YouTube is experimenting with a new recommendation algorithm that might affect how videos are suggested to users.
  3. AI is becoming more accepted in the music industry, with music labels starting to collaborate with AI technologies.

What’s up with…? - Part 1: Temu

Tech Buzz China Insider • 139 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Pinduoduo's cross-border platform Temu experienced rapid growth, reaching impressive sales numbers and expanding to new markets with strong user retention rates.
  2. Temu heavily invested in marketing and promotion, with a significant budget allocation for advertising and user acquisition, showcasing a focus on market expansion and customer reach.
  3. Logistics played a vital role in Temu's operations, with a well-defined shipping strategy to ensure timely deliveries and a wide product range provided by a large network of suppliers.
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($) Oracle Cloud: the Largest "Chinese Cloud" in America?

Interconnected • 123 implied HN points • 16 Jun 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, recently became one of the richest people in the world after Oracle's stock price surged due to strong earnings. This happened because of a positive outlook for Oracle's cloud computing growth, fueled by increased demand for AI infrastructure.
  2. Oracle is securing a lot of contracts from companies with ties to China, like Temu and TikTok, even as other American businesses shy away from China. This strategy is helping Oracle grow in a challenging market.
  3. The recent growth in Oracle's sales isn't just from AI; they are getting significant deals from various clients moving to their cloud services, which reflects a strong demand for their technology.

Stock Talk

Jon’s Newsletter • 79 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
💰 Finance E-commerce
  1. Stocks are on the rise, and analysts are adjusting their forecasts upward for the S&P 500. Staying invested long-term is advised, as it seems there’s still room for growth.
  2. If the S&P 500 performs well in January and February, historical data shows it usually continues to do well for the rest of the year. This makes the start of 2024 look promising.
  3. Amazon’s clothing sales are expected to grow significantly, potentially reaching $100 billion. This shows Amazon is successfully expanding in the fashion market, which usually has higher profit margins.

My failed experiment in e-commerce

Jay's Data Stream • 23 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Starting a startup as a joke or out of stress rarely works; impulsive or unrelated side projects get poor execution and weak customer demand.
  2. CPG e-commerce is mostly marketing — you need relentless content, influencer work, and paid ads to drive sales, because a good product alone usually won’t sell itself.
  3. Physical product failures leave you with real inventory and logistics headaches; unlike digital businesses, you can’t just shut them down with one click.

Arguing with Software

David Friedman’s Substack • 251 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. Dealing with automated systems can be frustrating. Sometimes, your complaints are answered by software that just sends form letters instead of real help.
  2. Getting issues resolved often requires persistence. If you keep pushing for a solution, a real person may eventually step in to help.
  3. It's important to remember that companies aren't people. They may prioritize efficiency over empathy, which can impact how they handle problems.

Temu: from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months

Tech Buzz China Insider • 179 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Temu rapidly grew from $0 to $3 billion in 10 months, expanding to around 20 countries and focusing on aggressive social media campaigns and expensive Super Bowl advertising.
  2. Shifting its focus to household and personal care products substantially increased Temu's average order value, as about half of Temu's suppliers were manufacturers and the other half were traders.
  3. Temu is putting pressure on staff, logistics partners, and merchants, shifting costs to merchants and increasing pressure to lower prices, resulting in a current loss rate of 60% despite significant gross margins.

🚪Serial indie maker with 4 exits

No-Code Exits • 176 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. The interview highlights a serial indie maker who built and sold 4 different projects quickly.
  2. The key to success for the maker was working on projects that scratched their own itch and quickly testing ideas.
  3. The maker monetized their projects through experimentation and selling them on a No-Code Sale platform.

Best layoffs of the year

SuperJoost Playlist • 158 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Widespread job cuts for short-term profits can hurt innovation and diversity in industries.
  2. Reducing costs through layoffs can improve profitability in the short term, but may harm long-term innovation and diversity.
  3. Layoffs in the gaming industry can hinder new talent entry, reduce diversity, and push innovation to smaller, riskier firms.

Instacart's price discrimination isn't price discrimination

Economic Forces • 15 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Different price changes have different causes and effects: A/B tests, strategic randomization, dynamic supply-and-demand adjustments, and true price discrimination are not the same thing.
  2. The Instacart example looked like randomized A/B testing rather than pricing based on shoppers’ personal data, so treating every price change as evidence of algorithmic profiling confuses what might happen with what actually happened.
  3. Price discrimination isn’t automatically bad — it can raise output and sometimes help consumers, especially under competition — and banning price experiments won’t necessarily make consumers better off because low-price periods can outweigh high-price losses.

Top 5 US-China Tech Stories

ChinaTalk • 637 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. TikTok has defied early predictions of regulatory restrictions in the US due to vested interests and political dynamics.
  2. The splintering of cross-border VC firms like Sequoia and GGV Capital is a tangible impact of US-China relations.
  3. Chinese EVs are dominating globally, posing a challenge to traditional automakers and highlighting the US infrastructure gap.

Whatever happened to New Retail?

Tech Buzz China Insider • 139 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. The hype around new retail concepts like unmanned stores has faced challenges and closures in China, with many players struggling to sustain their businesses due to competition and limited product offerings.
  2. Alibaba experimented with unmanned store concepts like Tao Café and Tmall Future Store but did not fully roll out unmanned shops, possibly indicating doubts about the concept's success.
  3. Despite initial enthusiasm and investment in unmanned stores, many companies faced bankruptcies and closures, with challenges around labor costs, limited product offerings, and competition from conventional convenience stores.

How Chowdeck plans to succeed where Jumia Food failed — Part one

Afridigest • 55 implied HN points • 13 Aug 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Chowdeck, a Nigerian food delivery service, is growing fast and has already raised $9 million, a big deal for food delivery in Africa. They focus on local foods that people eat every day, which keeps customers coming back.
  2. Jumia Food struggled because it had high costs and did not adapt its logistics to the food delivery market well. Chowdeck learned from these mistakes and set up systems better suited for food delivery.
  3. Chowdeck benefits from improved technology and infrastructure, like high smartphone usage and digital payments, which help them succeed where others failed. This makes it easier for them to operate efficiently.

The long and winding road of TikTok Shop

Tech Buzz China Insider • 99 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. TikTok expanded its e-commerce business internationally, but faced challenges with live commerce in Western markets like the UK due to cultural differences and difficulty in replicating the success seen in China.
  2. There were issues with long delivery times, poor customer service, and cultural clashes within TikTok's e-commerce division in the UK, causing difficulties and staff turnover.
  3. Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms are encountering challenges abroad due to changing regulations, such as increased postage costs, compliance requirements, and consumer protection concerns.

A guide to gift subscriptions and special offers

Substack Blog • 219 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Gift subscriptions are a great way for your current subscribers to share your work with friends and family during the holidays. It's not just a gift for them, but also helps promote your content.
  2. Special offers and discounts can make subscriptions more appealing for new subscribers. Timing these offers around holidays or relevant events can boost conversions and attract new readers.
  3. Using the holiday season to engage with your audience creatively fosters a sense of community. Celebrating together can help grow your subscriber base and strengthen relationships with existing ones.

This Week in Marketing: Pinterest vs. Snap, Meta's scam ads, AI Search, and teen safety in 2025

The Social Juice • 22 implied HN points • 09 Nov 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Pinterest's user growth was strong, but its stock took a big hit due to lower ad revenue from tariffs. It's important for companies to adapt their strategies in response to changing market conditions.
  2. Meta is making a lot of money from scam ads, which raises concerns about trust and integrity in digital advertising. Brands need to be careful about where they invest their marketing dollars.
  3. Discord is focusing on teen safety by introducing new features, showing that companies are becoming more aware of their responsibilities to protect young users online.

Discount on Kindle Pre-Orders Of My Book

Japan Economy Watch • 99 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. You can get a discount on the Kindle pre-orders of the book on Amazon US, paying $17.99 instead of the regular price of $23.99.
  2. On the Japanese site, the price for the Kindle version is Y3,948 without a pre-order discount.
  3. The hardcover version is available on Amazon with a 30% discount offered by Oxford Univ. Press.

The Health of the US Consumer: A DataScore Interview with NielsenIQ

The Data Score • 59 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. The health of the US consumer in 2024 is complex, influenced by both tailwinds and headwinds, with different consumer cohorts showing varied spending behaviors.
  2. Low-income consumers are spending a higher percentage of their income on e-commerce, indicating potential shifts in spending habits influenced by factors like age demographics and value-seeking behavior.
  3. Analysis of specific industries like travel, home improvement, pet products, and fast fashion reveals changing consumer behaviors, highlighting trends such as a shift to home-related spending and considerations for subscription services like online streaming and pet supply shopping.

Redefining Fresh: Alibaba's Freshippo and the New Frontier in Grocery Business

Tech Buzz China Insider • 119 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Freshippo utilizes Alibaba's big data to make strategic decisions such as new store locations.
  2. Freshippo has multiple revenue streams with its primary operations focused on its original brand, Freshippo, and membership-driven hypermarkets.
  3. Freshippo aims to increase private label SKUs and profit margins, particularly through supply chain optimization and new store formats.

Invecchiare al tempo della rete: conversazione con Massimo Mantellini

Vincos Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. In the world of technology, the impact of aging in a youthful online environment is an interesting topic to explore.
  2. Marketing experts continue to develop strategies despite economic uncertainties, emphasizing the need to adapt and innovate.
  3. Recent developments in social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok highlight the evolving landscape of features and functionalities to enhance user experiences.

OnlyFans Sticky Business Model

SatPost by Trung Phan • 127 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. OnlyFans has grown rapidly, with many creators and subscribers, making billions in revenue. The platform allows creators to earn money through subscriptions and direct messaging.
  2. The business model of OnlyFans is unique. Creators can earn more by keeping subscription prices low and upselling personalized content through DMs, rather than relying mainly on subscription fees.
  3. The success of OnlyFans raises questions about the nature of online connections. While it provides income for many, it sometimes sacrifices genuine connection and quality of interaction.

OSD 329: Take the pen

Open Source Defense • 66 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. Technology has made buying things much easier and faster than it used to be. For example, buying an astronaut pen today takes just a couple of minutes online, unlike the long process it used to take.
  2. This ease of transactions helps create new wealth in the economy. Rather than just selling products, it opens up opportunities for new industries and jobs, benefiting everyone.
  3. The efficiency improvements we see today, especially in fields like civilian defense, can greatly change how people learn and use new tools. This is just the beginning of what technology can offer in terms of efficiency and access.

Agentic Friday

Net Interest • 12 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. AI assistants are increasingly doing shopping tasks for people — searching, comparing, negotiating, and placing orders — and they're already driving big growth in traffic and orders.
  2. Analysts and major platforms project agentic commerce could be worth trillions by 2030, creating a huge new stream of online retail revenue.
  3. Payments and e‑commerce companies are racing to reposition themselves to capture this shift, and those strategic moves will reshape who wins and loses in online retail.

The rebirth of Xiaohongshu

Tech Buzz China Insider • 159 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology E-commerce
  1. Xiaohongshu has significantly changed its user profile and doubled its monthly active users since mid-2020.
  2. The platform's monetization strategy has shifted, focusing on new advertising formats and easier ways for content creators to monetize.
  3. Balancing commercialization and user experience remains a key challenge for Xiaohongshu.

The video that changed how I think about making money | #37

The Pole • 79 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Seeking ownership in businesses can lead to higher financial success.
  2. Outsourcing parts of a business can reduce workload and increase profit, but owning and managing it all can generate more revenue.
  3. Considering private equity and flipping websites can be lucrative ventures, offering opportunities for growth and financial gains.

Alibaba Cainiao: Delivering Innovation, Globally?

Tech Buzz China Insider • 99 implied HN points • 26 May 23
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Cainiao has transitioned to operating its own logistics services both domestically and internationally, focusing on Tmall flagship stores and aims for growth despite significant losses.
  2. Alibaba's e-commerce platforms lead the express business market with over 45% share by parcel volume, followed by JD, Pinduoduo, Douyin, and Kuaishou, shaping the competitive landscape.
  3. Cainiao is not a traditional top logistics company in the courier market, with its unique approach and focus on enhancing logistics efficiency through technology.

Gumroad Wallet, A $100M Opportunity

Money in Transit • 58 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Gumroad might be missing out on a $100 million opportunity by not leveraging creators' transactions within the platform efficiently.
  2. Digital wallets could revolutionize Gumroad's business model, allowing for direct transactions and lower fees for creators.
  3. Gumroad's pricing structure change indicates a need to evolve in the face of rising competition and changing economic landscapes.

How Lon Seidman used his tech YouTube channel to build a huge affiliate business

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 149 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Lon Seidman focuses on reviewing everyday gadgets that are not glamorous but sell a lot. This smart choice helps him reach a wide audience.
  2. He uses his YouTube channel to drive affiliate sales, earning money when viewers buy products through his links.
  3. Lon is also exploring decentralized platforms to share his content, which may help him connect with more viewers.

Community Group Buying: the ‘US military vs the Red Army’

Tech Buzz China Insider • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business E-commerce
  1. Community group buying market in China is highly competitive, with Meituan and Pinduoduo leading the way. Meituan is compared to the 'US military' and Pinduoduo to the 'Red Army.'
  2. Demand for community group buying has increased by 30-40% post-pandemic, driven by low prices and consumption downgrade trends.
  3. Duoduo Maicai, Pinduoduo's CGB business, has shown significant growth and profitability, leveraging its main app's high traffic volume and cost-efficient product offerings.